Canadian Heritage invites artists and content creators of all backgrounds and disciplines to share their current reality during and prior to the COVID-19 pandemic
OTTAWA, May 10, 2021
The long-term success and sustainability of the Canadian artistic and creative scene is essential in fostering and maintaining our strong and distinct Canadian identity. The economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been felt across the country, and the Canadian creative sector has been particularly hard hit. The pandemic has strained our cultural sector at a time when it was already experiencing significant challenges and disruptions regarding how creative work is made, experienced and compensated. With concerts and in-person events cancelled or postponed for the near future, Canadian artists and content creators from various backgrounds are feeling the turbulence and repercussions of this moment.
Today, Canadian Heritage is launching the new Canadian Artists and Content Creators Economic Survey. All Canadian artists and content creators are invited to take part, to help shed light on their experiences working and earning a living in a pre- and post-COVID-19 world. The purpose of this survey is to help create an updated portrait of the artistic and creative community in Canada. The data gathered through this survey will inform current and future Canadian Heritage policies and programs, ensuring the department continues to be responsive to the realities of the creative sector.
The survey is available online starting today and will be open from May 10 to June 18. It is open to anyone in Canada aged 16 or older who sees their creative or artistic work as an important component of their professional identity, whether freelance or with organizations, full-time or alongside other work, and at any point in their career.
We invite you to share this page within your networks and encourage participation in the survey.
Help us develop a more complete and grounded picture of the economic and work circumstances affecting you and your creative practice. We also want to hear from people who hold multiple jobs and may not consider their creative work as their primary occupation.
Share your story! Fill out the online survey.
“Fostering creativity, innovation, growth and employment opportunities in Canada’s cultural sector is a top priority for our government. Canada needs a vibrant and thriving creative sector. The information gained from this survey will be essential in our future work supporting Canadian artists and content creators as they continue to face the ongoing economic challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
—The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage
Camille Gagné-Raynauld
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
camille.gagne@canada.ca